Dramatic decrease in Luxembourg bee population

Around 30 percent of Luxembourg's bees did not survive last winter, with the number of bee colonies shrinking from 5,580 to 3,258 between Autumn 2010 and Spring 2013.

25.06.2013

(CS/aa) Around 30 percent of Luxembourg's bees did not survive last winter, with the number of bee colonies shrinking from 5,580 to 3,258 between Autumn 2010 and Spring 2013.

In the Winter of 2010/11 around 16.8 percent of bee colonies died, with an increase to 21.8 percent in the Winter of 2011/12 and finally another increase to 30 percent last winter.

These numbers were provided by Agriculture Minister Romain Schneider (LSAP) to a parliamentary question by Camille Gira and Henri Kox (“déi Gréng”).

The MPs said that the decrease in population was not only due to Varroa mites, a parasite originally from Java that can carry viruses particularly harmful to bees, but also environmental factors.

Gira and Kox argued that a lack of diversity in crops and a disregard of crop rotation in favour of corn was also to blame.

Additionally, the EU ban on three neonicotinoids, which were found to have contributed to the dying bee populations in Britain, meanwhile is not expected to show positive results for several years, and beekeepers should be compensated should be compensated for their losses, they said.

Minister Schneider commented that agri-environment programmes were currently being revised, with plans to support crop rotation between 2014 and 2020. Schemes beneficial to bee populations will receive additional support under the new programmes.

Whether monoculture of other types of crop rotation actually have significantly negative effects on the bee colonies is currently still unclear, the minister said, adding that the research project “Beefirst” was investigating the issue.

The project has been financed by the Agriculture Ministry since 2011 and aims to evaluate the influence of agricultural structures and beekeeper practices on bee health.